Employers will have a reason to cheer this Labour Day.

Starting May 1, employers will be able to make one interim claim for reimbursement for the Government paid portion of maternity leave any time after the mother has taken 8 weeks of maternity leave. This also applies to self-employed women seeking reimbursement from Government for maternity leave taken.

The remainder of the claim can be made after all remaining maternity leave has been taken. This enhancement is part of the Ministry's efforts to support employers, especially in the current economic climate, while creating a family-friendly environment.

This will provide some relief for employers, because as the current policy stands, they may have to wait up to 12 months to seek reimbursement for the portion of maternity leave payable by the Government. Presently, employers need to wait can seek reimbursement from the Ministry only after all maternity leave has been consumed. A 12-month wait ensues when employees maximize the 12-month flexibility in consuming maternity leave. 

As part of the enhanced 2008 Marriage and Parenthood package, paid maternity leave has been extended from 12 to 16 weeks for eligible mothers. The first eight weeks will be paid for by the employer, while the remaining eight will be taken care of by the state. For the third confinement and above, all 16 weeks of maternity leave are paid by the Government.

In addition, while mothers could previously take the last 4 weeks of maternity leave flexibly within 6 months from the date of confinement, the last eight weeks can now be taken flexibly over a period of one year from the birth of the child, and this can be decided mutually between the mother and her company.